The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1887-01-26
NIB. JNO. L. THOMAS.
LECTURER, RIGHT WORTHY GRAND
LODGE,
An Interesting Letter.
DEAR FREEMAN

near the 2O's below zero, and try
to grow warm while your feet were
feeling non est, and your ears were
tingling with cold?
If SO, you can sympathize with
me, in my experience in Mineral,
Grant and Tucker counties, during
the first week of the New Year,
when only the warm welcomes and
cheerful inequalities of Jealous
saloon-haters enabled me to accom-
plish aught in our fight for West
Virginia homes.
January Sd, I spent in that rum
cursed town, Piedmont, where to
their shame be it said, even the
mem ers of Christ's Church cover
before the saloon power.
Isn't it burning shame that a
New Years sermon on National
Perils" should be censured by the
flock, because the pastor mum bers
the saloon among them?
This town, with it's bitter nonny
temperance men, who care to do
nothing but talk, only escapes utter
condemnation by virtue of the "few
righteous men in 5odom."
1t was refreshing to climb out of
this pit of iniquity to the healthy
mountain height in Elk Garden,
where Good Hope Lodge is doing a
grand work for God and Humanity.
1 dare not begin to name the
earnest souls who live and labor
in this mining town. Suffice it
to say that their petitioning infu-
ence will be felt in the Legislature,
and that Good Hope Lodge will
cast her vote for submission
through Hon. William Middleton,
one of her members, and the Rep
resentative from Mineral county.
A narrow track through the for
rest carries me to Davis, new and
growing town in Tucker county,
blessed with tannery, saw-mill,
and various other industries, and
cursed with two dram-shops al
ready opened to handicap the work
OF the two churches which are be.
ing built.
Promise Lodge was instituted
here, on January 5th, and it will
not be long till the dram-sellers
will be compelled to seek more
am nlovmant
I was glad to find here one of our
Good Templar brethren who was
pushing the Petitions energetically.
With such men as Bros. Wagner,
Wilson, Rosensteel, Chase and 9TH
srs, the fight against the saloon
will be pushed vigorously.
At Hambleton, in Grant county,
found traces of w. C. l.. U.
work by Miss Addie Sherman. A
deep spirituality pervaded the
place, and it was not hard to en-
list willing workers in our Tenn
plar Army. Bro. Miller and his
wife, one Of the Buell. sisters who
sang the Gospel into 90 many
hearts ten years ago, are the lead
ing spirits of the town, and their
refining influence is felt every
where. For such leaders there will
always be willing followers. Ham
bleton Lodge, No. 1O2, was formed
with Is energetic members.
Elkins lies partly in Grant coun-
ty and partly in Garrett county,
Md. It rejoices in Prohibition on
both sides of the line, but the ma
lignant influence of Piedmont is
manifest in a thriving jug trade.
May God have mercy on the Chris
tians (?) of Piedmont, whose indif-
ferance aud hypocrisy make havoc
and sorrow possible!
Earnest hearts were stirred here
again, and Elkin's Lodge was insti.
tuted as a place of refuge from the
bells opened by Piedmont robbers
and their apologists.
From the mountains Of Prohibi-
ton, I descended again into the
valley of Rum, yclept Keyser.
It is a shame that in q town
where the temperance sentiment
preponderates, an utter lack of or
ganization allows the License ele-
ment to control affairs.
Why could there not be union
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